Sharpening a Stonfo bodkin

[DavidInMD]

Hi folks. I just aquired a Stonfo bodkin and am wondering if I can sharpen it without doing it harm. Was going to contact Stonfo, but their web site is almost entirely Italian (and not retail), and I am not so educated.

Sorry if this seems like a petty thing; it's only a ~$5 or so item, but some may understand how important it can seem to have a tool that really suits you and your needs. I had just invested a good bit of searching to find a bodkin that met my needs/wants, put it on my list, and just received it as a Fathers' Day gift. Had a little trouble with the mom & pop distributor, and it finally arrived after delays and with bends and nicks. I straightened it well enough and can ignore the nicks, bit the tip is a bit duller than I want.

I am guessing that the needle part is stainless steel (hopefully not some chrome-plated zinc alloy or such). Am wondering if it is likely safe to sharpen it a little with a file or emory board without weakening the metal or exposing it to corrosion. Thanks.

If I ruin it, not much $ outlay to get another, but it won't be from the same distributor. Thus, I don't want to mess with asking them questions either.

[jeffro]

Howdy David,
I bet it would be OK ta use a Fine file to sharpen...then a fine Wet Stone ....and ya might stuff some Steel Wool into an old empty medicine bottle just as tight as you can get it,
burn a tiny hole in the cap just big enough for the the bodkin so that you can run the bodkin in and out and that will even keep it nice n clean if it does try to rust up on ya.

[Ray Kunz]

I would suggest using a ceramic hook sharpener.
But, for my education, what is so unique about this tool?

[rookie]

David, you can go to Stonfo's web site and use "Google Translate" off of your toolbar. This might help also.

[Skip48]

Not a big fan of Stonfo, only had a few items, but didn't have a good experience with their bobbins and I do have one of their bodkins which I use to pick up feathers on a flat surface. It's a fat needle and I like every other brand I have better. I just stopped buying their products.

Skip

[Normand]

Not a big fan of Stonfo, only had a few items, but didn't have a good experience with their bobbins and I do have one of their bodkins which I use to pick up feathers on a flat surface. It's a fat needle and I like every other brand I have better. I just stopped buying their products.

Skip

so can you help the poster on how to sharpen the fat needle??